Supporting clasp for personal wear



June 29, 1937. A.'SIGNORINI 2,085,482

SUPPORTING CLASP FOR PERSQNAL WEAR Filed July 2, 1936 D 3nnentos: 17- s ghcvnqi (Ittomegs.

Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,085,482 SUPPORTING CLASP FOR PERSONAL WEAR Alberto Signorini, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application July 2, 1936, Serial No. 88,653

'7 Claims.

The present invention relates to supporting clasps for personal wear and more particularly to clasps for supporting hose and the like articles and which comprise a rigid base member carrying a button or the like and a rigid clamping element articulated at one end to said base.

It has been proposed heretofore to couple the rigid clamping member to the base by means of a crank-type hinge-pin. This'construction while generally satisfactory calls for three separate elements even for the simplest form of the clasp and furthermore involves in the process of assembling the clasp the step of rotatably securing the upper end of the rigid clamping loop to the crank-pin portion of. the hinge-pin.

The object'of the present invention is to provide a supporting clasp having the general advantages of the rigid type of clasp above referred to but comprising only two instead of three essential parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting clasp having a rigid base and a rigid clamping-element in which the movement and locking of the clamping member are guided and controlled by cam-slots formed in a suitable portion of the base and co-operating with integral ends projecting from the rigid clampingmember.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a clasp of the type described release means ,for the rigid clamping-member which shall. be operable from the front of the clasp.

It is likewise an object of the present invention to provide in combination with a clasp of. the kind described oscillating cam-type release means associated with the attachment portion of the clasp and adapted upon oscillation thereof to move the rigid clamping member from its locked to its released position. A

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my new supporting clasp showing the clamping-member in the released position.

Fig. 2 is a front view and Fig. 3 a side view of the upper portion of the rigid base. v

Fig. 4 is a front view and t Fig. 5 a side view of the upper portion of the rigid clamping-member of my novel supporting of a preferred embodiment of. the clampingmember.

Fig. 7 is a plan and Fig. 8 a side elevation of a releasing member.

Fig. 9 is a plan showing the upper portiori of the supporting clasp according to the present invention fitted with the releasing member shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 10 is a plan of an attachment member provided with a portion of an oscillating camtype releasing device.

Fig. 11 is a section along the line XI-XI of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the upper portion of a supporting clasp modified so as to adapt it to co-operate with the cam-type releasing means of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view seen from the rear of a complete supporting clasp according to the present invention provided with oscillating camtype releasing members, and

Fig. 14 is a plan viewof the rear face of .the lower end of the basev of the clasp illustrating the method of forming the hook-button and retaining the rubber cushion.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 to 6 my novel supporting clasp comprises a rigid base In to the upper end of which is secured an attachment element. l2 consisting of a frame I4 surrounding a slot I6 through which the attachment strap or tape (not shown) is intended to be passed. The other or lower end of the base is widened to form a clamping surface l8 which carries a hook-button punched up from said base to form a hollow chamber within which a cushion 22 of resilient material as for example rubber is located.

The upper end of the base I0 is likewise enlarged to provide a platform 24 from the upper edge of which a pair of arms 26 extend upwardly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base, the inner sides of said arms thus defining a substantially rectangular recess 28. Along the outer edge of each arm and of each side of. the platform 24 extends a bent-up wall 30' having a substantially arcuate'cam-slot 32. These walls 30 project at right angles to the base in the same direction as the hook-button 20, and the cam slots are so positioned in said wallsthat one end thereof lies'in the neighborhood of the upper comer of the wall nearest to the platform while the other end lies in the neighborhood of the lower free corner of the wall the slots curving convexly towards the upper free corners.

Said slots are adapted slidably to receive laterally projecting pins 34 provided on either side of the narrowed down neck portion 38 of the rigid clamping loop 33. The width of said neck portion It is such that it may freely move into and out oi the space defined between the two walls II. For convenience of operation there is provided on said neck portion 38 a still narrower upwardly extending finger piece 40 of width such as to allow it to pass freely between the arms It and into the rectangular recess 28 when the clamping member is in clamping position. As may be seen in Figs. 5 and 6 said finger piece II is formed so as to provide a rearwardly projecting portion a which is designed to lie substantially in the same plane as the. rear face of the base II when the clamping-member is in clamping position.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the projecv tion is formed by rolling over the top of the finger piece ll and the blank may be so cut that this-rolled over portion has formed in it the laterally projecting pins 34. Alternatively, a piece of stifl wire of suitable length may be soldered to the r'ear'i'ace of the clamping member immediately below said rolled over portion although .it is to be understood that such a method of construction is not preferred, inasmuch as it necessitates three parts to make the- I this form the clamping member lends itself readily to incorporation in the simple type of supporting clasp illustrated in Fig. 1 and moreover can with only minor modifications be used as well for the constructional variants shown in' ms. 9. 12 and 13.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the attachment member I! is permanently and rigidly secured to the base by means of the depending curved joining-members 42 the ends of which remote from the attachment element merge into the upper ends of the arms 28. If desired, the joining-members may" have their lower portions bent at an angle with respect .to

the plane of the attachment element, as indicated .in Fig. 1, so as to cause the attachment element to lie substantially in the mid-plane of the assembled clasp or even in a plane parallel to the base and tangent to the free edges of the walls 30.

It will be observed that a space 44 having rounded ends and a width slightly greater than that of the recess 28 is provided between the.

joining-members 42. In the modification shown in1"lg. 9 this spara is utilized to accommodate the head I! of a releasing member 43 (Figs. '1 and 8) which, has depending from its lower edge an extension ll of width substantially equal to that of the neck portion ll of the clampingmember and provided at the mid-point of its lower free edge with a rearwardly offset tongue I and with laterally projecting pivots 54., To accommodate these pivots the side-walls 3! of the modification illustrated in Fig. 9 are extended towards the attachment-member and are conveniently perforated to provide bearing holes for said pivots, The rearwardly offset tongue 521s adapted to engage with a rectangular slot 58 (Fig. 6) provided for this purpose in the free edge of the rearwardly extending projection lilo. of the clamping-member so that when the clamping-member is in clamping position, said projection 40a will push said tongue 52 towards the rear and consequently maintain the head 48 of the releasing member in a slightly forward position with respect to the attachment member H. In order to release the clasp pressure may be applied from the front thereof to the head of said releasing member which will thereupon swing about its pivots and by the engagement of the tongue with the projection 40a will move the upper portion of the clamp away from'the base under the guidance of the cam-slots 32. As soon as the pins 34 of the clamping-member have moved along said slots sufiiciently for a force parallel to the base to. become unrestrictedly operative, the rubber cushion 22 of the button will, owing to its resilience and the fact that it is designed to be compressed by the inner edge 58 (Fig. 1) of the lower cross-bar 60 of the clamp lug-member when the latter is in clamping position, give rise to a snap-action release of said clamping-member.

In the modification shown in Fig. 13, the details of which are illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the attachment element I la is connected to the base lilb by'means of a cam-plate 62 attached permanently and rigidly to the supporting member by means of depending joining members 42a similar to the joining members 42 of Figs. 1, 2 and 9. Said cam-plate 82 has a recess 64 formed in the lower portion thereof and is provided at each end of its lower free edge with a cam tooth 68 coplanar with the floor 63 of said recessv 64. The recess 64 is bounded on the side nearest to the attachment element by a substantially semicircular arc and is perforated at a point corresponding to the centre of the corresponding circle for the purpose hereinafter explained.

In this embodiment the upper end of the base Hib (Fig. 12) is'modified by providing a coupling platform 10 which bridges the two arms 26 above the rectangular recess 23 and is, on the side remote from said recess, bounded by a substantially semi-circular arc. A perforation I2 is provided in the platform I0 substantially at the centre of the circle corresponding to said arc and similar to the perforation ll of the cam-plate 62. The platform is adapted to fit into-the recess 34 of said cam-plate and the base lilb is adapted to be pivotally connected to said cam-plate as, for example, by means of a tubular rivet indicated at 16 in Fig. 13 which passes through the perforations 12 and 14. 'I'he proportions of the parts are such that, in the assembled condition of the supporting clasp and with the clamp 33 in clamping position, the projection a thereof will extend between the two cam teeth 86 of the camplate 82, as best seen in Fig. 13. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that if under these conditions the base be rocked about the pivot It with respect to the attachment element one or other of the teeth will engage with the corresponding curved free corner of the projection a and will thereby force the upper portion of the clamping loop forwardly with respect to the base. thus giving rise to the same type of snap-release as is obtained by use of the releasing-member of' surface "and in the hollow space thus provided the rubber cushion 22 is accommodated. This cushion can, by adopting the construction just described, be conveniently introduced into said hollow space from the rear and in order to prevent it from dropping out'accidentally the blank for the base is designed to have Wings 18 projecting from the clamping-plate portion and terminating in a circular, semi-circular or rectangular or the like head ,80. After insertion of the rubber cushion the said wings are bent over through 'two right-angles as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 13 and clearly shown in Fig.

14 to lie against and slightly compress'with their heads 80 the said cushion 22. v

What I claim is: I l. A supporting clasp for articles of personal wear comprising a rigid base, an attachment 20 element secured to said base, a hollow hookbutton on the end of the base remote from said attachment element, a cushion of resilient material within said hook-button, an enlarged portion at the end of said base remote from said hook-button, a pair of parallel arms extending from the transverse free edge of said enlarged portion and defining between them a substantially rectangular recess, a wall extending along each-of the lateral edges of said enlarged portion and along the outer edges of said arms, said walls projecting at rightangles to said base on the same side thereof as said hook-button, a

allow said neck portion to move-freely into and out of the space between'said walls, said neck portion having on each lateral edge thereof an outwardly directed pin extending freely into the corresponding cam slot. a i

2.'A supporting clasp for articles'cf personal wear comprising a rigid base, an' attachment element secured to said base, a hollow hookbutton on theend of the base remote from s: id attachment element. a cushion of resilient material within said hook-button, an enlarged portion at the end of said'base remote from said hook-button, a pair of parallel arms extending from the transverse free edge of said, enlarged portion and defining between them a substantially rectangular recess, a wall extending along each of the-lateral edges of said enlarged portion and along the outer edges of said arms,-

said walls projecting at right angles to said base on the same side thereof as said hook-button, a curved cam slot in each wall, said slot extend ing substantially from the corner of said wall remote from the hook-button and nearest the arm to the diagonally oppositejr'ee corner of the wall and being convexly cin'ved towards the remaining free co er, a rigid clamping member ,having an end adapted to engage said hookbutton and provided at its opposite end with a reduced neck portion of width such as to allow said'neck portion to move freely into and out of the space between said walls, said neck portion having on each lateral edge thereof an outbutton on the end of the base remote from said attachment element, a cushion of resilient material within said hook-button, an enlarged portion at the end of said base remote from said hook-button, a pair of parallel arms extending.

' member having an end adapted to engage said hook-button-and provided at its opposite end with a reduced neck portion ofwidth such as to allow said neck portion to movefreely into and out of the space between said walls, said neck portion having on each lateral edge thereof an outwardly directed pin extending freely into the corresponding cam slot, and a finger plate of reduced width extending away from said hookbutton engaging end, said finger piece'having on the face thereof which in the assembled condition of the clasp is nearest to the base, a projection adapted to lie in said rectangular recess when the clamping member is in clamping I position.

4. A supporting clasp for wearing apparel comprising a rigid base, having at one end a hollow hook-button and at the other end an enlarged portion, an attachment element rigidly secured to said. base, a, hollow hook-button on the end of the base remote from said attachment element, an enlarged portion at the end of said base, a pair of parallel arms extending from the transverse free edge of said enlarged portion and defining between them a substantially rectangular recess, a pair of joining members depending from said attachment element and merging into said arms, said joining members defining between them an opening of greater width than that of said recess, a wall extending along each of the lateral edges of said enlarged portion and along the outer edges of said arms, said walls projecting at right angles to said base on the same side thereof as said hook-button, a curved cam slot in each wall extending from a point thereof near said enlarged portion towards the free corner of the wall nearest to the hook-button and curving convexly away from said base, a bearing-hole in the wall near the remaining free corner thereof, a releasing member including a head adapted to fit freely in said opening and a depending narrower platform having a rearwardly offset tongue depending centrally from'its transverse free edge and laterally projecting pivots journalled in said bearing-holes, a clamping member having at one end a button engaging end and provided at its'oppositeend with a reduced neck portion allowing said neck portion to move freely into and out of the space between said walls, a pin projecting outwardly from each lateral edge of the neck portion and extending freely into the corresponding slot and a finger piece of reduced width extending away from said button-engaging end, said finger piece having in the face thereof nearest to the base a projection with a central notch adapted to receive the tongue of the releasing member when the clamping member is in clamping position.

5. A supporting clasp for wearing apparel comprising a rigid attachment element including a hollow elongated frame and a cam plate depending centrally from one of the longer sides of the frame, and having at each end f its the transverse free edge of the enlarged portion and defining between them a substantially rectangular recess, a platform bridging said arms at the free ends thereof, and pivotally mounted on said cam plate, a wall extending along each of the lateral edges of said enlarged portion and along the outer edges of said arms, said walls projecting at right angles to said base on the same side thereof as said hook-button, a curved cam slot in each wall curving convexly away from said base, a rigid clamping member having a hook-button engaging end provided at its opposite endwith a reduced neck portion adapted to move freely into and out of the space between said walls, pins projecting outwardly from each lateral edge of the neck portion andextending freely into the corresponding slots, and a fingerpiece extending away from said hook-button engaging end. and having a projection with curved free corners adapted to lie in said rectangular recess between said cam teeth when the clamping member is in clamping position.

6. A supporting clasp for wearing apparel, comprising a rigid-attachmentelement including a hollow elongated frame and a cam plate depending centrally from one of the longer sides of the frame, a recess formed in the portion of the cam-plate remote from said frame and having a semi-circular boundary, a cam tooth projecting from each end of the free edge of said cam-plate and coplanar with the surface of said recess, a rigid base having a hook-button near one end, an enlarged portion at the other end, a pair of parallel arms extending from the transverse free edge of the enlarged portion and defining between them a substantially rectangular space, a platform bridgin said arms at the free ends thereof, the edge of the platform remote from said rectangular recess being adapted to flt said semi-circular boundary, said platform into and outof the space between said walls,

a pin projecting laterally from each outward.

edge of said neck portion and extending freely into the corresponding slots, and a finger piece extending away from said hook-button engaging end and having a projection with curved free corners adapted to lie in said recess between said cam teeth when the clamping-member is in clamping position.

7. A supporting clasp for articles of personal wear comprising a rigid base having at one end an enlarged clamping surface and at the opposite end anenlarged portion, a pair of arms extending from said enlarged portion and directed away-from said clamping surface, a wall perpendicular to the plane of the base extending along the outer free edge of the arms and the lateral free edge of the enlarged portion, an arcuate cam slot in said walls, a rigid clamping member having a neck portion adapted to Tinove freely between said walls, a pin projecting laterally from each side of the neck portion and extending into said arcuate slots, 9. hook-button pressed up from the material 'of said clamping surface and extending from the same side of the base as said walls, relatively narrow wings extending in a substantially radial direction from said clamping surface and terminating in a head, and a resilient cushion located within said hook-button, said wings being in the assembled condition of the clasp bent over through two right angles to bring the head thereof into compressive contact with said cushion.

ALBERTO SIGNORINI. 

